Rainier

Cherry

Size

Large

Shape

Round-heart shaped

Flavor

Very sweet, low-acid, delicate aroma - often rated sweeter than Bing

Texture

Firm, juicy flesh, but delicate and bruises easily (better for home eating than shipping)

Ripening window

Early-mid season (sources disagree - late May-early June to July depending on climate)

Best uses

Fresh eating (not well suited to shipping); also preserving, baking

Pollination

Not self-fertile - needs a cross-pollinator (Bing, Black Tartarian, Lapins, or Sweetheart); sour/pie cherries will not pollinate it

Tree size

Standard 18-25 ft; semi-dwarf on Gisela rootstock ~8-12 ft

Notes

WSU-bred sweet cherry (Prunus avium, Bing x Van cross). Yellow-gold skin with red blush, creamy white flesh. Sources disagree sharply on chill hours (400 per one nursery vs. 700-900 elsewhere) - recorded here as a range rather than picking one. Resistant to bacterial canker but prone to cracking and brown rot in humid climates. Even at the lower chill estimate, heat/humidity intolerance (cracking, brown rot) is the bigger risk for Oak Point - flag as high-risk/likely poor fit for zone 8a, same caution as Governor Wood above.